Mobile equine clinic launched in Addis Ababa to tackle urban animal welfare, public health challenges

Addis Ababa, July 15, 2025 (FMC) — A new Mobile Veterinary Clinic for Equines (MVC-ADEQs) has officially been launched in Addis Ababa, marking a major step forward in Ethiopia’s efforts to improve urban animal health, reduce road accidents, and enhance public hygiene through targeted care for working horses and donkeys.

The initiative is spearheaded by Elnet Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Addis Ababa’s Urban Agriculture Commission, and other stakeholders.

The clinic will operate across five sub-cities of the capital, where thousands of equines support livelihoods through transport and small-scale farming.

State Minister of Agriculture Dr. Fikru Regassa, speaking at the launching ceremony, emphasized that while Ethiopia boasts the largest livestock population in Africa — including over 10 million equines — animal welfare and productivity remain severely limited due to disease, neglect, and lack of veterinary access.

“Our farmers often abandon sick equines because they can’t afford or access clinical services,” Dr. Fikru noted. “This new mobile clinic fills a critical gap, especially in areas where equines are seen standing in the middle of roads, severely injured and causing accidents. It will bring veterinary services directly to them and prevent further suffering.”

He also highlighted that this milestone aligns with Ethiopia’s Animal Health and Welfare Proclamation, to be approved for the first time this year after over a decade of legislative hurdles.

The law, he revealed, recognizes animal welfare as vital not only for ethics, but also for productivity and public safety.

In her speech, Ms. Jessica Hedman, CEO of Elnet Foundation, recounted how the project began after she saw two badly wounded horses roaming the streets near her home.

“They were bleeding, stumbling in traffic where children played — I couldn’t ignore it,” Hedman said. “That moment sparked the founding of both Elnet Foundation and the Mobile Veterinary Clinic initiative.”

The project is now entering its second phase, with mobile units set to deliver low-cost services primarily covering only the cost of medicines, in partnership with Addis Ababa’s Urban Agriculture Commission.

According to Hedman, the clinic not only aims to prevent equine suffering, but also reduce road accidents and limit the spread of disease-causing flies from injured animals to nearby meat markets.

“This is about urban health, dignity, and the beauty of the city,” she added. “You can’t have the African Union headquarters in a city where carcasses of working animals line the streets.”

Founded four years ago by Hedman and her husband spouse, Elnet Foundation is funded through their successful car manufacturing venture El Auto, which was created to empower Addis Ababa’s iconic Lada taxi drivers with new vehicles and digital access.

Their revenues have since supported housing, school feeding, and now animal health programs across Ethiopia, it has been learned.

Dr. Fikru also praised Elnet’s broader contributions to nutrition and women’s economic empowerment, linking the initiative to Ethiopia’s flagship “Yelemat Tirufat (Bounty of the Basket)” program, which seeks to raise livestock productivity and combat child stunting.

“It’s not just about milk or eggs — it’s about children attending school, developing cognitively, and families gaining peace,” he said. “Efforts like this clinic and Elnet’s school feeding work are powerful investments in Ethiopia’s future.”

The clinic’s early operations have already begun in selected districts, with veterinarians like Dr. Gennet leading field interventions.

Organizers say the project will eventually serve as a model for scaling mobile veterinary services nationwide, including in pastoralist regions.